'Militancy, Infiltration in JK on decline since 2003'

New Delhi, Apr 23: The Government today said militancy and infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir has declined since 2003. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha , Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said in 2003 as many as 1,109 civilian and security personnel were killed against 268 in 2007.

During 2004, 2005 and 2006, the number of civilian and security personnel who lost their lives in the militancy were 988, 746 and 540 respectively. 'Till March 2008, 23 civilians and 12 security forces have lost their lives to militancy,'' he added. To a question regarding the ''murder'' of a youth in Jammu regions R S Pura sector by the BSF in 2006, the Minister said BSF had filed a complaint that three intruders had tried to infiltrate and one was killed in the encounter. The killed person was later identified as Vikram Singh alias Vicky a resident of Abdullain village in R S Pura, he added.

The State Government has sanctioned an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to his family as per the recommendation of the inquiry officer.